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3D (3 Dolphy) Movies: Pidol’s Days at Sampaguita Pictures

President Benigno Aquino III recently awarded ace comedian and actor Dolphy (Rodolfo Vera Quizon in real life) with the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart for his contributions in the field of movies and charitable causes for which he is active. The said award was established during the time of the late President Ramon Magsaysay and the only other awardee was Helen Keller. Through the years, the King of Comedy had been entertaining his audience with his funny antics and meaningful lessons in life in television, stage and movies. His movie career at the Sampaguita Pictures, Inc. was one of his colorful days as an actor. Here are some of the movies where we saw him in different roles which molded him to be the King of Comedy:

1. “Kalabog and Bosyo”

This movie was based on the comic strip of cartoonist Larry Alcala about two detectives. Dolphy played Kalabog while Panchito was Bosyo. The duo was one of the very popular comedy tandems in Philippine cinema. The two private detectives were in hot pursuit of a mad scientist named Dr. Kagaw who developed a formula in the form of men’s lotion sold to drugstores. Any men who bought and used this will make him behave like a growling wild animal. The comedy acts of Dolphy and Panchito we saw in their later movies and tv shows started in this movie. The movie’s closing scene showed the duo singing about it and the average price of a movie ticket then which was P 1.20.

2. “Operetang Sampay-Bakod”

Another movie where the Dolphy and Panchito tandem led the cast. The duo played patriarchs of their respective families who stage and perform operetas or musical plays in their hometown. They wanted at least two of their respective children to follow their footsteps so they sent them to Manila to study classical music. But this was not meant to be, since this was the era of the start of rock and roll and other related music, a different kind of music was learned. This caused a generation gap between the older folks and the young ones, but later both sides came into a compromise when a member of the younger generation was involved in a vehicular accident which made her disabled. This compromise was in the opereta where the two generations switched roles. The older ones performed rock and roll and other related music acts while the younger ones did the classical music acts. There was a song in the former’s acts where Dolphy’s character as “Kiko” became “Frankie”.

3. “King and Queen For A Day”

This movie was in tribute of the staff and crew behind the movies produced by Sampaguita Pictures. They were played by Dolphy, Panchito, Chichay and other actors and actresses of the said film outfit. The title was about a popularity contest in the studio where some of the said staff and crew were the candidates. Here, the King of Comedy played a janitor named “Julio Antukin” who became involved in most of the hilarious situations in the movie studio premises like throwing the pin of the grenade instead of the grenade, when he replaced a bit player, at the site where a movie director, played by Ading Fernando, was standing giving instructions about a scene. Another one was when he was assigned in the sound room where his clumsiness in the operation of its equipment caused the switching of the male and the female voices of its contract stars, played by Jose Mari Gonzales and Liberty Ilagan, in a musical number scene. In the end, he redeemed himself, when he was able to help the studio from being robbed by a gang of criminals which made him the “King” while Chichay was the “Queen”. Vilma Santos appeared in this movie as Dolphy’s younger kid sister.

Let’s hope that Dolphy get a National Artist Award later which will be another feather in the cap for him and the Filipinos who is his audience.

The images used for this post as updated were taken from online sources as references.

Dolphy and Panchito funny movies with Sampaguita pictures are all great. love watching old black and white movies. Humor was different as compared today…classic but very funny. I’m still waiting for the above mentioned original Kalabog and Bosyo 1959 on cinema klasika. But they no longer show it. cannot be found on you tube either. What happened with the film. Its very very funny that they decided to make a sequel in 1980 but the orgininal still the funniest. Where could it be?

I suggest you contact the Sampaguita Pictures,Inc.s studio or visit their place at Gilmore,Quezon City. I think it entertains requests like yours. Or you can ask the Powerbooks branches if they sell these films. Another option is to visit the you tube for its videos or you can watch Cinema Klasiks on GMA News TV Channel 11 from Mondays to Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm where you may be able to see them as feature presentations.
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